Subject: Responsibilities of Federal Depts Agencies w/Respect to Volunteer Community Service

Responsibilities of Federal Departments and
Agencies With Respect to Volunteer Community Service
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America and in order to help ensure that the Federal
Government supports and encourages volunteer community
service, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Designation of a Liaison for Volunteer
Community Service. (a) The head of each agency shall,
within 20 days after the date of this order, designate
an officer or employee of such agency compensated at a
level at or above the minimum level of pay of a member
of the Senior Executive Service to serve under the
authority of the head of the agency as the agency
liaison for volunteer community service (Liaison).
(b) The Liaison in each agency shall promote and
support community service on a voluntary basis among
Federal employees, including those approaching
retirement; promote the use of skilled volunteers; and
facilitate public recognition for volunteer community
service.
(c) The head of each agency shall prescribe
arrangements within the agency for support and
supervision of the Liaison that ensure high priority
and substantial visibility for the function of the
Liaison within the agency under this order.
(d) Each executive agency shall provide its Liaison
with appropriate administrative support and other
resources to meet the responsibilities of the Liaison
under this order.
Sec. 2. Goals and Responsibilities of the Liaison. The
Liaison shall foster within the Liaison's agency a
culture of taking responsibility, service to others,
and good citizenship. Toward that end, the Liaison
shall:
(a) identify, catalog, and review all activities of
the agency that relate to volunteer community service,
including, but not limited to rules, orders, grant
programs, external relations, and other policies and
practices, and make such recommendations to the head of
the agency for adjustments as may be appropriate;
(b) actively work with USA Freedom Corps to promote
volunteer community service among agency employees by
providing information about community service
opportunities;
(c) coordinate within the agency actions to
facilitate public recognition for volunteer community
service;
(d) promote, expand, and enhance skilled volunteer
community service opportunities;
(e) work with the USA Freedom Corps and the
Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to
consider any appropriate changes in agency policies or
practices that are not currently consistent with OPM
guidance;
(f) coordinate the awarding of the President's
Volunteer Service Award to recognize outstanding
volunteer service by employees within the agency; and
(g) act as a liaison with the USA Freedom Corps.
Sec. 3. Administrative Provisions. (a) The USA Freedom
Corps shall provide such information with respect to
volunteer community service programs
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and activities and such advice and assistance as may be
required by agencies in performing their functions
under this order.
(b) Executive Order 12820 of November 5, 1992, is
revoked.
(c) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
(d) As used in this order:
(i) ``agency' has the meaning of ``executive agency' as defined in
section 105 of title 5, United States Code; and
(ii) ``USA Freedom Corps' means the Director of the USA Freedom Corps
Office established by section 4 of Executive Order 13254 of January 29,
2002.
Sec. 4. Reporting Provisions. (a) Not later than 180
days from the date of this order and annually
thereafter, each agency Liaison shall prepare and
submit a report to the USA Freedom Corps that includes
a description of the agency's activities in performing
its functions under this order.
(b) A Liaison's first report under subsection (a)
shall include annual performance indicators and
measurable objectives for agency action approved by the
head of the agency. Each report filed thereafter under
subsection (a) shall measure the agency's performance
against the indicators and objectives approved by the
head of the agency.
Sec. 5. Judicial Review. This order is not intended to,
and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive
or procedural, enforceable by any party at law or in
equity against the United States, its departments,
agencies, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or
any other person.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
April 27, 2006.